Fresh protest in Bangladesh over Indian official’s remarks

Around 10,000 Muslims demonstrated in the Bangladeshi capital yesterday in the second protest in a week over remarks about Prophet Muhammad by an Indian official that sparked anger across the Islamic world.

DHAKA •The authorities in India have, meanwhile, ordered heightened security in several regions for Friday prayers after two people were shot dead in protests there last week, local media reported.

Last Friday, Muslims took to the streets in huge numbers across Asia following the comments by a spokesman for India’s ruling party on May 26.

The governments of nearly 20 countries summoned Indian envoys for an explanation of Ms Nupur Sharma’s remarks about the Prophet and his youngest wife.

Shouting slogans like “Muslims of the world unite”, the Bangladeshi protesters yesterday rallied in front of Dhaka’s biggest mosque and tried to march to the Indian embassy before being blocked by police.